Strong intersectoral partnerships in health

Managing zoonotic public health risks at the humananimalecosystem interface

Why invest in public health risks at the humananimal ecosystem interface?

Domestic and wild animals, and their ecosystems, contribute to the health and wellbeing of people. Among other things, they provide protein-rich nutrients, transportation, traction power, fuel, recreation, and companionship. Alongside the many benefits people derive from animals, the latter can also contribute to public health risks that emerge at the human, animal and ecosystem interface. This humananimalecosystem interface can be described as a continuum of direct or indirect human exposure to animals, their products and their environments. Some zoonotic diseases also have the potential to spread efficiently across international boundaries, thereby affecting not only people's health and their livelihoods but also international travel and trade. More than 60% of the newly identified infectious agents that have affected people over the past few decades have been caused by pathogens originating from animals or animal products. Of these zoonotic infections, 70% originate from wildlife. What is WHO doing? WHO is partner to an international, multidisciplinary and intersectoral framework that recognizes the linkages between animal, human and ecosystem health domains, and seeks to diminish the public health risk and the global impact of infectious diseases by enhancing livestock and wildlife disease intelligence, surveillance and emergency response systems at local, national, regional

and international levels. This area of work requires sharing of responsibilities and coordinating global activities to address health risks at the animal-humanecosystems interfaces and shifts the focus from mostly short term intervention to medium and long-term national capacity building in countries with a focus on promoting better governance and supportive legal frameworks, surveillance and assessment of potential public health risks, preparedness and prevention, outbreak detection and control. Improved outcomes will depend on improved communication between the human, veterinary, and food sectors. WHO recognizes, that there is need for focused effort in consort with its strategic partners for the management of zoonotic public health risks at the humananimal-ecosystems interface. The following elements summarize the work of WHO in this area: 1. Defining policies, approaches and sustainable programmes for prevention and control of priority zoonotic diseases. 2. Implementing sustainable programmes to strengthen early detection, investigation, risk assessment and rapid response to zoonotic public health risks of national and international concern, including infectious disease outbreaks. 3. Developing capacity, tools, and mechanisms to support the programmatic work for the detection, prevention, assessment and management of zoonotic human health risks.

FOOD SAFETY AND ZOONOSES

WWW.WHO.INT/FOODSAFETY

The mission of the WHO Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses is to lower the burden of disease from food and animals, focusing on industrialized and traditional production systems, and integrating prevention from farm to table. This work includes the provision of scientific advice, efficient standard setting, and clear communication in support of foodborne and zoonotic disease prevention and international efforts to food-related outbreak detection and response.

Activities and achievements

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Developing joint action plan with strategic partners and stakeholders for the management of zoonotic public health risks at the humananimal interface Supporting countries to develop legal frameworks, good governance and intersectoral collaboration to manage health risks at the humananimal interface

Detecting public health threats and performing joint risk assessment to better target action
Location Developing international guidelines to mitigate the of active and proposed GFN Training Sites public health risk of zoonotic disease at the human animal interface

Estimating the burden of zoonotic diseases to influence policy for prevention, control and intervention, currently on-going foodborne zoonoses and leptospirosis.

Planned activities
Promote Member State awareness and buy-in to foster the multi-level, multi-ministry political will to drive progress through active communication. Develop further global early warning and response mechanisms and networks, through enhancing GLEWS, the Global Early Warning System for risks at the human-animal-ecosystems interface as a cross sectoral threat detection and risk assessment mechanism between Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Organization of Animal Health (OIE). Link zoonotic and food safety networks more effectively. Assist the International Health Regulations (2005) by building core capacities for surveillance and response in countries. Develop, pilot test and disseminate international guidelines to mitigate the public health risk of zoonotic disease at the humananimal interface.

WHO contacts
Dr Kazuaki Miyagishima Director Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses World Health Organization 20, avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Tel. +41 22 791 27 73 Fax: + 41 22 791 68 07 E-mail: miyagishima@who.int Dr Elizabeth Mumford Scientist Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses World Health Organization 20, avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Tel. +41 22 791 21 74 Fax: + 41 22 791 68 07 E-mail: mumforde@who.int